KABUL, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 4.9 million Afghan refugees returned to the country between 2023 and 2025, placing heavy pressure on employment, essential services and infrastructure, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said on Tuesday.
The large-scale returns are intensifying demand on already stretched resources, the agency reported. In response, UNDP is preparing targeted assistance packages for host communities in several provinces, prioritizing livelihood support and expanded access to basic services.
Afghan authorities stated that all returnees received essential humanitarian aid, including food rations, clean water, medical care, and free transport to their provinces of origin.
To support longer-term reintegration, the Afghan government has allocated nearly 70,000 plots of land nationwide to returning families. ■
